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Arderne, John

by William S. Price, Jr., 1979

d. ca. 1710

John Arderne, first appears in the records of North Carolina in October 1701, acting as an attorney for his kinsman, the wealthy planter and former councilor William Duckenfield. At some time in 1702, Duckenfield conveyed to Arderne Salmon Creek Plantation, a four-thousand-acre tract formerly owned by Seth Sothel, the controversial proprietary governor. Arderne had come to North Carolina without any "visible estate," and Duckenfield agreed to sell him Salmon Creek Plantation for two hundred pounds, to advance his kinsman in the community. However, Arderne never paid any portion of the two hundred pound price.

During 1703, Arderne served in the lower house of the assembly, but his activities there are not recorded. Deputy Governor Thomas Cary chose Arderne to sit on his Anglican-dominated council in March 1705; he was still there through October 1706 but does not appear in council records after that date.

Arderne served as a churchwarden and vestry member of St. Paul's Parish in Chowan Precinct during 1708 and was replaced in February 1709. At his death, which occurred sometime between early 1709 and early 1712, Arderne bequeathed his North Carolina property and his holdings in England to William Duckenfield. His will also refers to a brother living in "Clayton bridge house" in Lancashire, Manchester Parish, England. It seems likely that the house was Arderne's ancestral home.

References:

Chancery Court Minutes for May 1713 (Secretary of State Papers 878, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh).

Grimes, J. Bryan. North Carolina wills and inventories copied from original and recorded wills and inventories in the office of the secretary of state. 1912. [Includes John Arderne's will.] Online at https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/13767